Optimism: Visualising peace through art

Art for Peace: The Young Pakistani Vision exhibition opens.

ISLAMABAD:

As the country continues to battle security challenges, young Pakistanis have taken to the arts to express their vision of a peaceful, tolerant Pakistan.

The United Nations Pakistan’s new initiative “Art for Peace: The Young Pakistani Vision”, which opened here at Satrang Gallery on Monday, displays a collection of paintings, drawings and photography by 20 amateur artists.

The exhibition aims to provide a platform to the resident youth to share their message of peace with the rest of the world through visual arts. The collection will be auctioned and funds generated from sales will be used to support art fellowships. The pieces on display will also be showcased in an art tour across the country.

Some well-established artists who have donated their artworks to the initiative include Xahra Hafeez, Imran Hunzai, Nazer Maggie, Quddus Mirza, Abbas Shah, Shahid Waheed and Shahid Yousaf.

United Nation Secretary-General’s Youth Envoy Ahmad Alhendawi opened the exhibition and appreciated the effort of the youth to express themselves through the medium of art.

“I will play my part in bridging the gap and sharing the messages of Pakistani youngsters with other youngsters around the world,” he said.

In a statement issued by the gallery, art critic and artist Quddus Mirza said the initiative is an opportunity for young Pakistni visual artists to participate in a body of work based upon peace.

“Perhaps with the current situation in the country, peace is the most needed, desired and distanced entity. The project invited each individual to visualise and contextualise it in their personal manner” said Mirza, who is also special adviser for ‘Art for Peace’ project.

Art critic and chair of the advisory board of the initiative Lavinia Filippi said that while the response was not what they were expecting, donations from established artists show Pakistani artist’s desire to promote the message of peace.

Filippi said the initiative provides a platform for showing how art can be used as a tool for peace and to bridge different cultures, religions and backgrounds in this region and the world over.

“Art can help us show the softer side of a country like Pakistan. It is a country with cultural creativity and diversity, which needs global recognition,” Fillppi told The Express Tribune.

“The youth is brimming with creativity and initiative, and we are happy to be part of the peace initiative. I am also grateful to the established artists for the donations of their work in support of this venture with UN. In future we would like to have this collaboration with UN,” said Satrang Director Asma Khan.

The collection will be on display at Satrang for the next two weeks before touring the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2014.